Or is it? ...

When I heard the theory I got really exighted! The lazy and unoriginal writing of the "new deathstar" turned into clever and interesting writing!. ..

Allow me to quote myself from the TFA Box thread were I learned about the theory:

"I actually love this choice. It makes the lazy writing of bigger, bader Death Star into clever writing! Instead of just inventing new unoriginal content, they based it on earlier work, build on it and even made canonical and narrative sacrifice! And it all makes sense now, how Starkiller Base could do all that unexplained stuff we all whined about! This shows some investment in the established, canonical fiction and respect for both it and the fanbase! This choice took me from almost hating that ripoff deathstar Base and shaking my head at the writing to really loving it and respecting the writers alot!"

But then someone told me the theory had been officially debunked... I got really disappointed But is it even true?

I mean, look at the map! Why the Sith would they place the Base origin close to Ilum and not be Ilum? Why miss that golden opportunity and give up creative and strong writing for cheap and boring writing?

Added:

I know it is scale and that the Galaxy is enormous! But come on, this is also fiction! From a writing and storytelling perspective, there is absolutely NO REASON to place the planet and base origin point on the exact same visible location on the map if they are not trying to tell us something.

But then someone told me the theory had been officially debunked... I got really disappointed But is it even true?

I mean, look at the map! Why the Sith would they place the Base origin close to Ilum and not be Ilum? Why miss that golden opportunity and give up creative and strong writing for cheap and boring writing?

It's a bit small to be habitable without some kind of tech - maybe someone's implanted gravity generators throughout the crust.

I could see it being a moon in the Ilum sector with similar geology - but not Ilum itself.

Where was it officially debunked? Or confirmed?

Maybe someone should ask Pablo Hidalgo on twitter...

Or is it? ...

It's not.

Per starwars.com , Starkiller Base originated near Ilum. It did not replace Ilum.

From Hosnian Prime, continue north on the Corellian Trade Spine to Corellia, where you then take the Corellian Run to Coruscant and head northwest into the Mid Rim and Ansion. Cut across Wild Space and into the Unknown Regions, and eventually you will find Starkiller Base, which was situated not far from the legendary world of Ilum. Barren and isolated, this ice planet was protected by perhaps the greatest planetary shield ever created. The original identity of the planet was unknown, although it must be said that the Unknown Regions are named so for a reason. Explorers rarely ventured out this far, with the majority of occupied world being to the east of Coruscant.

Something important to keep in mind when reviewing maps from the Star Wars Atlas is scale . The galaxy is 3.3 x 10 ⁶¹ m ₃ in size. Just because a system is near or overlapping another system in the Atlas, that doesn't mean there aren't tens to dozens of light years of space between the two. Lords of Nal Hutta makes Hutt Space seem like it's 12 systems when it's actually thousands. The Atlas shows more systems and trade routes than LoNH but even that isn't complete. The scale is too massive.

Or is it? ...

It's not.

Per starwars.com , Starkiller Base originated near Ilum. It did not replace Ilum.

From Hosnian Prime, continue north on the Corellian Trade Spine to Corellia, where you then take the Corellian Run to Coruscant and head northwest into the Mid Rim and Ansion. Cut across Wild Space and into the Unknown Regions, and eventually you will find Starkiller Base, which was situated not far from the legendary world of Ilum. Barren and isolated, this ice planet was protected by perhaps the greatest planetary shield ever created. The original identity of the planet was unknown, although it must be said that the Unknown Regions are named so for a reason. Explorers rarely ventured out this far, with the majority of occupied world being to the east of Coruscant.

Something important to keep in mind when reviewing maps from the Star Wars Atlas is scale . The galaxy is 3.3 x 10 ⁶¹ m ₃ in size. Just because a system is near or overlapping another system in the Atlas, that doesn't mean there aren't tens to dozens of light years of space between the two. Lords of Nal Hutta makes Hutt Space seem like it's 12 systems when it's actually thousands. The Atlas shows more systems and trade routes than LoNH but even that isn't complete. The scale is too massive.

Scale and 2D printed map vs (vast) 3D space.

I know it is scale and that the Galaxy is enormous! But come on, this is also fiction! From a writing and storytelling perspective, there is absolutely NO REASON to place the planet and base origin point on the exact same visible location on the map if they are not trying to tell us something. And I don`t think that the fact that they said it was "close to Ilum" excludes the possibility that it still could be Ilum, it could also be a hint and/or a way to confuse us.

I like the notion that the Ilum sector is riddled with planetoids laden with kyber crystals - of which Ilum itself is merely the largest and most habitable (Starkiller Base being much smaller) and that those crystals are part of what make the weapon function.

Maybe it is all building up to something. Maybe Ilum is the big bad Base and Starkiller was just its' moon... Nah. But something. The writers would have to be really good to top "Starkiller Base is Ilum" theory and I have a hard time seeing how it can be done. Crossing my nerdy fingers!

Maybe it is all building up to something. Maybe Ilum is the big bad Base and Starkiller was just it's moon... Nah. But something. The writers would have to be really have to be good to top "Starkiller Base is Ilum" theory and I have a hard time seeing how it can be done. Crossing my nerdy fingers!

Thanks for giving away the plot of episode 9! Spoiler warning next time!

Maybe it is all building up to something. Maybe Ilum is the big bad Base and Starkiller was just it's moon... Nah. But something. The writers would have to be really have to be good to top "Starkiller Base is Ilum" theory and I have a hard time seeing how it can be done. Crossing my nerdy fingers!

Starkiller base is in fact a battle station that predates the First Order and was actually built by [Luke/The Jedi/Midicholorians] for another purpose, and was simply taken over by the First Order. It's proximity to Illum (be it original, or merely parked there) provided a convenient "cover" for the Jedi to keep tabs on it without drawing attention to it and an excuse to be secretive about it.

On a related note, had it ever gone missing the resulting scene would have been perfect:

Padawan: Master, is it just me or has Salhanar gone missing... I mean it was right there in the Tannhouser constillation last night... now it's not.

Master: Oh dear... this is bad... this is very bad...

Other Padawan: Not really, when I was a youngling Master Obi-wan lost an entire star system. Eventually it turned up. Probably the same thing here.

Maybe it is all building up to something. Maybe Ilum is the big bad Base and Starkiller was just it's moon... Nah. But something. The writers would have to be really have to be good to top "Starkiller Base is Ilum" theory and I have a hard time seeing how it can be done. Crossing my nerdy fingers!

Starkiller base is in fact a battle station that predates the First Order and was actually built by [Luke/The Jedi/Midicholorians] for another purpose, and was simply taken over by the First Order. It's proximity to Illum (be it original, or merely parked there) provided a convenient "cover" for the Jedi to keep tabs on it without drawing attention to it and an excuse to be secretive about it.

I dunno, if that's the case they gave it a heck of an "empire" refurbishment. I haven't seen that much shiny black metal outside of a star destroyer!

If it wasn't Ilum and that is the big reveal, then at least something like that and Snoke is in the Jedi Temple on Ilum and that made them strong enough to turn one of the planets in the system or one of its own moons into Starkiller Base. This can actually be promising. ..

I'm hoping that Snoke bites off Rey's ring finger before falling into a reactor core at the end of Episode 9. But maybe that's a bit too derivative.

I'm hoping that Snoke bites off Rey's ring finger before falling into a reactor core at the end of Episode 9. But maybe that's a bit too derivative.

hahaha. Then a squadron of X-Wings called "The Great Eagles" rescues Rey before the rest of the First Order can get to her.

there is absolutely NO REASON to place the planet and base origin point on the exact same visible location on the map if they are not trying to tell us something.

"NO REASON" ... that YOU know! We must admit to ourselves that no matter how much we endeavor to know the truth, we never will!

I know it is scale and that the Galaxy is enormous! But come on, this is also fiction! From a writing and storytelling perspective, there is absolutely NO REASON to place the planet and base origin point on the exact same visible location on the map if they are not trying to tell us something. And I don`t think that the fact that they said it was "close to Ilum" excludes the possibility that it still could be Ilum, it could also be a hint and/or a way to confuse us.

Starwars.com is the official Star Wars site. If it says something is so, I'm inclined to believe it. Plus, setting up a bunch of feints and misdirection is overly complicated and anti- Star Wars .

there is absolutely NO REASON to place the planet and base origin point on the exact same visible location on the map if they are not trying to tell us something.

"NO REASON" ... that YOU know! We must admit to ourselves that no matter how much we endeavor to know the truth, we never will!

Starkiller base is people!

there is absolutely NO REASON to place the planet and base origin point on the exact same visible location on the map if they are not trying to tell us something.

"NO REASON" ... that YOU know! We must admit to ourselves that no matter how much we endeavor to know the truth, we never will!

I am talking about no reason from a storytelling and writing perspective, a tool in the fiction. I have gone to school and learned about and read about this sith, I have a nerdy bachelor's degree. This is fiction and writers use storytelling tools to build that fiction. Placing Starkiller Base there, they are definately building on that fiction if they are any kind of good writers at all. If not they are just clumsy writers. Starkiller Base does not have to be Ilum, but it, the First Order or Snoke has SOMETHING to do with Ilum! They are telling us something, hinting or confusing us ... Sure, clumsy writing is possible, but This is Star Wars and Disney post twitter-effect era.

My friend, I still think you assume too much! I think we need to consider that Ilum is a red herring here, not Chekhov's Gun. Pure coincidence.

Something... A red herring is something, even if it is cheap and lazy writing if not done extremely well and just right..

Something... A red herring is something, even if it is cheap and lazy writing if not done extremely well and just right..

So you think that up to this point, the writing in Star Wars had been exemplary?

Something... A red herring is something, even if it is cheap and lazy writing if not done extremely well and just right..

So you think that up to this point, the writing in Star Wars had been exemplary?

Good point! haha.. No I don't, but they can't be that clumsy!

Like when Chewie walked right past the widow of his best friend and partner when he returned from watching him die? I say they not only can be that clumsy, I think they're lazy hacks to boot.

That is lazy or clumsy direction, not writing.... Or maybe he couldn't face her.

That is lazy or clumsy direction, not writing.... Or maybe he couldn't face her.

So you're telling me the script didn't have Chewie ignore Leia, you're suggesting JJ suggested that? Conjecture again!